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When shopping for a new car, safety should be at the top of your list. While many modern cars include a variety of safety features, not all of them are created equal. Here are five car safety features to look for when purchasing a new vehicle:
Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)
An anti-lock braking system (ABS) is a safety feature that prevents your car’s wheels from locking up during hard braking, which can cause skidding and loss of control. ABS operates by rapidly pumping the brakes, allowing the wheels to turn while still providing braking force. This allows the driver to maintain steering control while avoiding obstacles or other road hazards. ABS is now a standard feature on most new cars, but it’s still worth double-checking to ensure that the vehicle you’re considering has it.
Control Electronic Stability (ESC)
Electronic stability control (ESC) is a feature that assists in keeping a vehicle from sliding or spinning out of control during sudden maneuvers or when driving on slick roads. When the car begins to lose traction, the ESC detects it and automatically applies the brakes to individual wheels to help keep the car on track. This is especially useful in emergencies when you need to swerve or avoid an obstacle.
Lane Departure Warning (LDW)
Lane departure warning (LDW) is a safety feature that alerts you if your vehicle begins to drift out of its lane on the road. Driver fatigue or distraction, as well as other factors such as road conditions or wind, can all contribute to this. LDW detects the car’s position on the road using cameras or sensors and warns the driver with an audible or visual alert if it begins to stray out of its lane. Some LDW systems include automatic steering correction to assist in keeping the vehicle centered in its lane.
Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM)
Blind-spot monitoring (BSM) is a safety feature that helps prevent collisions on the highway when changing lanes or merging. BSM detects other vehicles in your blind spot, which is the area alongside your vehicle that you cannot see by looking in your mirrors or turning your head. When another vehicle is detected in your blind spot, the BSM system will typically warn you with a light or sound that changing lanes is not safe.
Forward Collision Warning (FCW) and Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB)
Automatic emergency braking (AEB) and forward collision warning (FCW) are two safety features that work together to help prevent rear-end collisions. FCW detects when you are approaching another vehicle too quickly and warns you with an audible or visual alert. If you do not respond in time, AEB will automatically apply the brakes to help avoid or mitigate a collision. AEB can also be useful in other situations where a collision is likely, such as when a pedestrian steps into the road unexpectedly.
When shopping for a new car, make sure to inquire about these and other safety features to ensure you get a vehicle that is not only stylish and comfortable but also designed to keep you and your passengers safe on the road. Furthermore, even with these safety features, it is critical to understand that responsible driving and attentiveness while on the road are critical to preventing accidents and ensuring the safety of yourself and others on the road.
To sum it up, when purchasing a new car, car safety should always be a top priority. By thinking about and prioritizing safety features like ABS, ESC, LDW, BSM, and FCW/AEB, you can help ensure you get a vehicle that is built to keep you safe on the road. With technological advancements and increased awareness and importance placed on safety, many modern cars come standard with these safety features, but it’s important to double-check that the car you’re interested in has them.
Other safety factors to consider include crash test ratings and overall safety ratings from organizations such as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). These organizations subject vehicles to extensive testing and evaluation to determine how well they perform in various crash scenarios and other safety tests. Checking crash test ratings and overall safety ratings can give you a good idea of how safe a specific car is in comparison to others in its class.
